Remember when Joaquin Phoenix acted the fool on Letterman? Declarations of mental breakdown and/or elaborate hoax were being swatted back and forth for months, meanwhile Phoenix impersonations popped up everywhere from YouTube to the Academy Awards. Well, the behind-the-scenes footage is finally here. Casey Affleck’s “documentary” follows his brother-in-law Joaquin Phoenix (JP to some) as the former Oscar-nominated actor transforms to a mumbling, coke-in-his-blood rapper with facial hair that most certainly inhabits wildlife. It’s a film that has answers but also raises more questions.

An opinion on the film seems to pivot on whether or not you believe this footage is for real. If this is a true account of an actor deluded by his own self-worth and intoxicated to the point of self-destruction by narcotics, booze and not very sanitary women, well then it’s shockingly exploitative but not all that interesting. However, if this is an elaborate hoax to make a point about celebrity culture and the media, well then it’s a neat experiment with a brilliant performance but still not all that interesting.

To believe that Phoenix descended to a pathetic junkie groveling for P. Diddy’s attentions is not giving enough credit to one of the finest actors of our generation. If people believe it to be real, that’s testament to Phoenix’s dedicated, bravura performance because the film certainly doesn’t do anything else to convince us. From the multiple camera setups that capture supposedly incidental moments to the credits that differentiate characters from actors, there are far too many telltale signs to not see what Affleck is up to. Which then raises the question: Was all this necessary to make such a basic point? Not really.

Affleck’s little social experiment fails, and one might imagine its because he and Phoenix had to improvise a new strategy after the public caught on to their hoax early on. The hysterical Letterman appearance that we figured would be the starting point of the film turns out to be the climax. If this were sex, that Late Night footage, which was broadcast over a year ago, would be premature ejaculation.

Though that’s not to say the film doesn’t have its amusements. Watching Joaquin ramble and moan (and we’re not just talking about the rapping) can be hilarious, especially with Phoenix’s fine way of punctuating his rants with off the wall observations. There are also fine cameos by Ben Stiller, P. Diddy and a pair of hookers.

And the film also gets a little symbolic with its most shocking gesture. An employee sh*ts where Joaquin eats. That’s kind of what Joaquin is doing to the industry that feeds him. And to the audiences that pay to see him.